Systems and methods for customized music selection and distribution

Abstract

Systems and methods for the customized selection and distribution of digital music are described herein. In one embodiment, a method of selecting and delivering music to a user includes creating an annotated record of one or more digital music tracks by performing a waveform analysis to determine characteristics of the one or more digital music tracks, associating a plurality of global music factors with the one or more digital music tracks, and associating a plurality of population music factors with the one or more digital music tracks. The method further includes receiving one or more user characteristics, selecting one or more digital music tracks for delivery by matching the one or more user characteristics against information in the annotated record of the one or more digital music tracks, and delivering the one or more digital music tracks to the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of selecting and delivering music to a user, comprising:
 creating an annotated record of one or more digital music tracks by:
 performing a waveform analysis on the one or more digital music tracks to determine characteristics of the one or more digital music tracks; 
 associating a plurality of global music factors with the one or more digital music tracks; 
 associating a plurality of population music factors with the one or more digital music tracks; 
   receiving, from a user, one or more user characteristics;   selecting one or more digital music tracks for delivery to the user by matching the one or more user characteristics against information contained in the annotated record of the one or more digital music tracks; and   delivering the one or more digital music tracks to the user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving one or more digital music tracks via upload from a remote source and applying a rights clearance process to ensure that the one or more digital music tracks are approved for license and delivery to one or more users. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the rights clearance process includes
 receiving a listing of one or more rights holders and/or rights holder representatives in a digital music track;   electronically notifying each of the one or more rights holders and/or rights holder representatives that the digital music track has been submitted for delivery to one or more users;   electronically receiving approval from each of the one or more rights holders and/or rights holder representatives to deliver the digital music track to one or more users prior to delivering the digital music track to the user.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein each of the one or more rights holders and/or rights holder representatives are electronically notified via any of an email message and a notification on a website. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein approval from each of the one or more rights holders and/or rights holder representatives is electronically received via a website. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the characteristics of the one or more digital music tracks determined by the waveform analysis include any of song tempo, song key, song era, song feel, song mood, vocal type, instrumentation, and playing style. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of global music factors includes any of music sales information, listener demographic information, listener psychographic information, listener sociographic information, listener sentiment, listener location, song genre, song artist, song name, song date, song era, song artist label, song lyrics, and song length. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of population music factors includes any of listener demographic information, listener psychographic information, listener sociographic information, song popularity, song popularity within specific social profiles and/or demographic groups and/or psychographic groups, listener habitation history, listener street, listener city, listener state, listener zip code, listener education, listener social profile, listener feedback rating, listener preference data, time of day for song performance, and type of event for song performance. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more user characteristics received from a user include any of song artist, similar artist, favorite artist, song name, similar song, song genre, place for song performance, type of event for song performance, time of day for song performance, song tempo, song mood, song feel, song and/or band geography, song instrument, song popularity, song era, song playlist, and playlist author. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting one or more digital music tracks for delivery to the user includes receiving a listing of one or more digital music tracks selected by a disc jockey (DJ). 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein selecting one or more digital music tracks for delivery to the user includes receiving, prior to receiving the listing of one or more digital music tracks selected by the DJ, one or more weighted search parameters based on any of the information in the annotated record of the digital music tracks and the one or more user characteristics received from the user. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting one or more digital music tracks for delivery to the user includes executing an algorithm to automatically select the one or more digital music tracks based on a degree of matching between the user characteristics and the information in the annotated record. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the algorithm assigns a weighting factor to each of the user characteristics utilized in selecting the one or more digital music tracks for delivery to the user. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from a user, one or more feedback indications based on the one or more digital music tracks delivered to the user; and
 incorporating the one or more feedback indications into the plurality of population music factors and the one or more user characteristics.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising associating any of the plurality of global music factors and population music factors of a first digital music track with a second digital music track;
 wherein the second digital music track has no available global music factors or population music factors; and   wherein the waveform analysis indicates that the first digital music track and the second digital music track share a plurality of characteristics.   
     
     
         16 . A system for selecting and delivering music to a user, comprising:
 a digital data processor configured to create an annotated record of one or more digital music tracks by:
 performing a song waveform analysis to determine characteristics of the one or more digital music tracks; 
 associating a plurality of global music factors with the one or more digital music tracks; 
 associating a plurality of population music factors with the one or more digital music tracks; 
   a user interface configured to receive, from a user, one or more user characteristics;   a digital data processor configured to select one or more digital music tracks for delivery to the user by matching the one or more user characteristics against information contained in the annotated record of the one or more digital music tracks.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a memory store configured to receive one or more digital music tracks from remote sources; and
 a digital data processor configured to perform a rights clearance process to ensure that the one or more digital music tracks in the memory store are approved for delivery to one or more users.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the digital data processor configured to perform a rights clearance process is further configured to:
 receive a listing of one or more rights holders and/or rights holder representatives in a digital music track;   electronically notify each of the one or more rights holders and/or rights holder representatives that the digital music track has been submitted for delivery to one or more users;   electronically receive approval from each of the one or more rights holders to deliver the digital music track to one or more users prior to delivering the digital music track to the one or more users.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the characteristics of the one or more digital music tracks determined by the waveform analysis include any of song tempo, song key, song mood, vocal type, and instruments used. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of global music factors includes any of music sales information, listener demographic information, listener sentiment, listener location, song genre, song artist, song name, song date, song era, song artist label, song lyrics, and song length. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of population music factors includes listener town, listener city, listener state, listener zip code, listener education, listener social profile, listener feedback rating, listener preference data, time of day for song performance, and type of event for song performance. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more user characteristics received from a user include song artist, similar artist, favorite artist, song name, similar song, song genre, place for song performance, type of event for song performance, time of day for song performance, song tempo, song mood, song instrument, song popularity, song era, song playlist, and playlist author. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the digital data processor configured to select one or more digital music tracks from the memory store for delivery to the user further comprises a user interface configured to receive a listing of one or more digital music tracks from a disc jockey (DJ). 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the digital data processor configured to select one or more digital music tracks from the memory store for delivery to the user is configured to execute an algorithm to automatically select the one or more digital music tracks based on a degree of matching between the user characteristics and the information in the annotated record. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the algorithm is configured to assign a weighting factor to each of the user characteristics utilized in selecting the one or more digital music tracks. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a user interface configured to deliver the one or more selected digital music tracks to the user via network streaming and to receive from the user one or more feedback indications based on the one or more digital music tracks. 
     
     
         27 . A system for selecting and delivering music to a user, comprising:
 a digital data processor configured to create an annotated record of one or more digital music tracks by:
 performing a waveform analysis to determine characteristics of the one or more digital music tracks; 
 associating a plurality of global music factors with the one or more digital music tracks; 
 associating a plurality of population music factors with the one or more digital music tracks; 
   a first user interface configured to receive, from a user, one or more user characteristics;   a second user interface configured to provide one or more search mechanisms to allow a disc jockey (DJ) to search and select one or more digital music tracks based on any of the information in the annotated record of the one or more digital music tracks and the one or more user characteristics received from the user;   a third user interface configured to provide one or more ordering mechanisms to allow a DJ to create and organize one or more playlists containing the one or more digital music tracks selected in the second user interface based on any of the information in the annotated records of the one or more digital music tracks, the one or more user characteristics received from the user, and one or more music flow characteristics;   a fourth user interface configured to deliver the one or more digital music tracks selected by the DJ to the user and collect from the user one or more feedback indications based on the one or more digital music tracks delivered to the user.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , further comprising a fifth user interface configured to receive one or more digital music tracks via network upload as well as electronic certifications of authorization from one or more rights holders and/or rights holder representatives to distribute the one or more digital music tracks to one or more users; and
 a memory store in communication with the fifth user interface to store the one or more digital music tracks received via network upload.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the one or more music flow characteristics include any of time of day, mood, vocals, genre, tempo, era, and instrumentation. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 27 , further comprising a digital data processor configured to automatically create a second playlist based on an first playlist created in the third user interface by selecting one or more digital music tracks having similar characteristics to the one or more digital music tracks in the first playlist;
 wherein the second playlist and the first playlist do not contain the same digital music tracks.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 27 , further comprising a digital data processor configured to randomize a playlist created in the third user interface by:
 grouping one or more digital music tracks of the playlist into a plurality of chunks comprising a desired number of tracks; and   randomly ordering the digital music tracks within each of the plurality of chunks;   wherein the order of the plurality of chunks is preserved; and   wherein the desired number of tracks is greater than one and less than the total number of tracks in the playlist.